Member of Parliament for North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, believes the recent changes in the leadership of the Minority Caucus is an unnecessary distraction.

He said the reshuffle has shifted the focus of the Minority Caucus from dealing with issues that are of importance to Ghanaians in Parliament.

“The Ghanaian people… expect us [the NDC] to be focused on those matters [domestic debt exchange], to offer leadership, to be their voice because that is why they sent us to Parliament.

“So, the point I am making is that this is a needless distraction,” he told Benjamin Akakpo, the host of JoyNews’ AM Show on Tuesday.

Mr Ablakwa’s comment follows a controversial reshuffle in the leadership of the Minority Caucus which was contained in a letter dated Tuesday, January 23, addressed to the Speaker of Parliament.

Accordance to the modifications, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson is to replace Haruna Iddrissu as Minority Leader. 

James Klutse Avedzi lost his position as Deputy Minority Leader to Kofi Armah Buah, while Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak is to be succeeded by Governs Kwame Agbodza as Minority Chief Whip.

But the former Deputy Education Minister is unhappy with the changes.

The North Tongu MP also emphasised how the current issue had garnered negative attention which is bad for the party.

For that reason, he urged his NDC colleagues to cooperate to enable them to resolve any existing internal conflicts promptly.

“So some of us have been urging colleagues that we have to quickly close ranks deal with this matter expeditiously and move on to the national issues,” he said.

Additionally, Mr Ablakwa hinted at a caucus meeting that was to be organised by the Council of Elders of the NDC during the course of the week.

He expressed his hope that the meeting would enable members of the NDC to come to an accord.

“I think that in that meeting, some of us will be very clear on how going forward, we can do things better and learn lessons so that we do not spill over and create the kind of negative attention which we have attracted.”